Cherry flavoured medicine
by Yusuki Mazui
Summary: OSMB#2 It was a phenomenon as to why the great Ryoma Echizen missed practice just because of a simple fever. Though, 7 of the regulars ran to the Echizen household with intentions of nursing him, they just aren;t enough to tame the little snotty brat.
1. Chapter 1

Yusuki: Happy Birthday Sakuno!

Ed: Hey it's benn so long, not that I'm complaining.

Yusuki: I know. But I'll be disappearing soon once again.

Conan: Is this another multi-chap?

Yusuki: Of course it is. I'm thinking **a three-shot**. Anyways I have to go. Ryoma?

Ryoma: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi, Mada Mada.

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><p>"Is that so? Oh okay, it's all right. Tell him that we all wish for him to get better. Yes? Oh how unfortunate. Would you like me to come over and take care of him for awhile? You're welcome, No really, it's not a problem. All right; good bye Mrs. Echizen." Oishi replied as he talked with Rinko on his phone.<p>

Eiji, who was intently eavesdropping on his best friend's phone call, widened his eyes.

Soon, the red-headed regular was running around Seigaku's tennis courts shouting, "Stop practice! Ochibi's sick! He's dying people!"

Every regular stopped what they were doing, aside from Tezuka who continued to stay rigid. Momo and Kaidoh halted their bickering. Inui's data collecting paused and soon continued. Taka actually calmed down while holding his racket. Fuji's eyes opened. Even the two loud-mouths stopped their blabbering. It was a phenomenon to why Ryoma Echizen would be missing tennis practice just because of some fever. It **is** the stubborn brat that wouldn't let heavy rain (the supposed enemy of all tennis players) post-pone a tennis match. This was possibly the only person whose tennis fever could only be halted by an accidental amnesia. Something is definitely wrong.

"It must be critical," Momo concluded.

"Everyone continue practising. Oishi, calm Kikumaru down." Tezuka ordered.

"Are you mad? How can you say that? Ochibi is probably dying! We have to go now!" Eiji exclaimed as he flailed his arms and shook his captain.

Tezuka's eyes squinted by a millimetre. Eiji gave his captain a hard stare.

"Eiji, ten laps," he commanded.

"Not until we take care of Ochibi first." He said, standing his ground and crossing his arms.

"Twenty laps."

"Make me."

"Thirty laps."

"You can count up as much as you can, Tezuka. But the only action I'll be doing is leaving practice to take care of Ochibi." Eiji stated as he left to change out of his jersey.

"Sorry captain, but I'm with senpai on this one. Echizen never miss practice, even if he is supposed to be in deathbed. I'm kind of worried." Momo said as he too left to change.

"I'll go just in case. That way, I can supervise them while you're with the team. Trouble and chaos are always nearby with those two when it comes to Echizen." Oishi excused.

"I'll practise on the field, Tezuka. I'll be taking notes the whole time anyways. After all and in all technicalities, I'm not playing for the team anymore." Inui said.

"Come on, Tezuka. This'll be interesting." Fuji said, dragging away his unwilling captain.

"Kaidoh, I'm leaving you in-charge." Tezuka told Kaidoh.

"Come to think of it, I'll also check on Echizen." Taka told his junior.

"Fshhh..." Kaidoh let out as the other regulars abandoned him.

The seven regulars arrived on time as their favourite rookie's parents bid the Echizen household farewell.

"Oh, hello; you must be Ryoma's team mates. I'm so sorry for giving you the trouble of having to come and take care of him. I have a conference in Hokkaido to go to and his cousin had to go for a retreat—" Rinko said as she caught sight of the seven young lads.

"Tell me Mrs. Echizen, is Ochibi all right?" He's not dying is he?" Eiji interrogated urgently.

"Nah, the brat's just fine. It's a slight fever but between you and me, he couldn't be any more normal. Anyways, I too have the White Rabbit Conference to go to. Good luck taking care of the boy," Nanjirou informed them. "Come on Rinko, let's go!" He told his wife and dragged her towards the cab.

"By the way, all you need to know is on the fridge," she said as the cab drove off.

Oishi led the six others to the front door. As it opened, they were greeted by a clueless Ryoma in duck pyjamas wrapped in a thick blanket.

"Mommy? Mommy? Daddy? Where are y—ACHOO!" He said as he looked around his home.

Oishi quickly came to his kouhai's aid and directed him to the sofa.

"Ryoma, your family had to go somewhere. Now, you have to rest. Do not even try to get up." The vice-captain instructed.

"Ochibi! I'm so glad you're okay! Now wait here while I make you some food for lunch!" Eiji said.

"Okay Oi-chii! Thank you Ei-nii-san!" The green-haired lad shouted.

Once again, the regulars froze.

"Did he just use awkward/kiddie names?" Momo asked in shock.

Oishi and Taka simply nodded. Fuji soon took out his video camera. Inui wrote even more notes.

"That is so cute!" Eiji shouted as he ran to glomp his little team mate.

Momo who chose to ignore the abnormality came up to his friend and asked, "What's my name?"

"Momo-chan-senpai!" Ryoma replied with a smile as a piece of snot attempted to slide down from his nose.

"Atta boy, Echizen!" He said as he ruffled the boy's already dishevelled hair after handing him a napkin.

"This makes me want to cook for you even more!" Eiji said as he headed to the kitchen.

"I'll come and help you, Eiji." Taka said as he followed the red head.

Oishi left to go find a towel and basin. Momo decided to read his sick kouhai a picture book after Ryoma's odd request to do so. Fuji continued to film. Inui continued with his notes and Tezuka simply... err... supervised. After their patient finished a good half hour nap, they set up the living room table for lunch. This way, they can eat while feeding their now childish underclassman. After finishing his lunch, Eiji brought up an announcement.

"Ochibi, after eating you'll have to drink you medicine."

Ryoma's head shot up as he heard the word 'medicine'. He watched his motherly senpai leave to get the dreadful thing.

"It's okay, Oi-chii-senpai! I just need to have some rest. I don't need to drink the medicine. I'm a-ok—" Ryoma attempted to convince them. "Achoo!"

"No you're not silly! Ochibi, you need to drink that medicine." Eiji said.

"Echizen you want to play tennis soon don't you? The quickest way to get better is to drink that antibiotic." Inui said.

"No! Ryo-chan hates pink syrup! It's girly and icky!" Ryoma yelled as he quickly stood up.

Soon the poor boy was kneeling due to nausea.

"Owie..." He whispered.

"Ryo-chan, look at the camera and smile!" Fuji said as he focused the view on the boy.

The sadist's subject did what he was told and smiled brightly.

"Now, tell Syuusuke-nii if you want to play tennis." He said.

The boy nodded as he said, "Uh huh, Ryo-chan wants to play ten-knees!" As he caught sight of Oishi with the medicine, he ran to get behind Tezuka as he yelled, "NO!"

"Echizen, it's just one gulp then it's over with," Taka told him.

"No way!"

"C'mon Echizen, it's not that bad. If it helps then go pinch your nose so you won't taste it!" Momo tried to convince him.

"N-Achoo!" Ryoma sneezed as he shook his head.

"Momo, hold him as I try to force the medicine to Ochibi!" Eiji directed as he held a needle-less syringe.

"Never!" Ryoma shouted as he ran around the house with his senpai-tachi in close pursuit.

"Ryoma Echizen," a voice bellowed in a nagging tone.

"Oh no, the magistrate is back,' Momo whispered in terror.

"Come here young man! Now, you are going to drink that medicine whether you like it or not!" Oishi scolded. "If you continue with this behaviour, I will make sure you don't do any tennis for a whole month!" He threatened.

"Really?" Ryoma pouted.

"Grounded," Momo whispered to the sick lad.

Ryoma approached Oishi. As his vice-captain neared the dreadful spoon-full, the quick-thinking boy picked up his precious cat. Startled by the sudden action, Karupin's claws appeared; the feline now had the urge to claw and scratch something.

"Karupin, attack!" Ryoma ordered as he chased his team mates all over the house.

"Trapped!" Momo and Eiji gasped as the young man and his cat cornered his fellow regulars.

"Tezuka, Fuji, and Inui do something!" Eiji screamed.

However, the three just watched.

"Captain! Do anything! Command him to drink it or something!" Momo pleaded.

With the same monotonous voice, Tezuka ordered, "Echizen, a teaspoon or a hundred laps."

"Neither!" Ryoma shouted

"Fuji, Inui, do something!" Eiji screamed once again.

"Too busy," the two answered.

Before meeting their 'demise', Oishi took out a note from his pocket.

"It says if we ever have trouble just call anyone from this list," Oishi told them.

"Well, the hurry up!" Taka yelled at his vice-captain, "OR I'LL HAVE TO KNOCK HIM OUT! BURNING!" He shouted as he held the racked Fuji handed.

"Echizen, if you don't drink the medicine right now, we'll call Ryoga!" Oishi shouted after reading the note left by Rinko.

"Silly Oi-chii-senpai, bro-bro is playing in the U.S." Ryoma informed them with a smile.

"Damn, he's so bipolar," Taka whispered to Momo.

'_Not that you could talk,'_ Momo thought.

"Oishi! Go call sensei! She'll get him to drink the medicine," Eiji shouted. 'Hurry! Karupin is coming!" He added as their patient came closer with his clawing cat.

Oishi soon fished out his phone and pressed the speed dial for the Ryuzaki residence.

"Hello?" A female voice answered right after two rings.

"Hi, this is Eiji Kikumaru and the rest of the regulars! Sensei, we need you to make Ochibi drink his medicine! He's gone psycho!" Eiji shouted as he leaned in towards the phone.

Due to his best friend's action, Oishi accidentally pushed the speaker function, letting everyone hear their coach's response.

"I'm sorry; grandma isn't at home right now. She had a conference at Hokkaido. But i-if you're talking about Ry-ryoma-kun being sick, I-I could help, s-senpai."

Her senpai-tachi were shocked. They are seven well-built athletes with the title of National tennis champions under their belts but (even) they aren't enough to handle a simple virus-infected 14-year-old. How can a bashful girl with 'wobbly hips' (as the normal Ryoma would put it) be able to handle something they can't?

'_We're doomed,' _the active 'nurses' thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>

**What did Nanjirou mean about the 'White Rabbit Conference'? IS that where Rinko and Sumire are too?  
><strong>The White Rabbit Conference is something that Nanjirou (or I) made up to cover for the Playboy convention that he's planning to go to. And NO, Rinko and Sumire have a different conference to go to. They too are seperated, Rinko with a client and Sumire with some math teachers.

**What does some of the Japanese words said again? You know if you're writing an English fic, it should just be English.  
><strong>Usually I don't prefer Japanese words in English fanfics too but sometime you have to just add them to make it flow properly (especially the dialogue) And I only use terms of endearment anyways. So:  
><strong>Senpai <strong>=upperclasssman**  
>Senpai-tachi <strong>= upperclassmen  
><strong>Kouhai<strong> = underclassman

**Why did Momo just call Oishi the magistrate?  
><strong>It is an allusion or reference to one of the PoT episodes/omakes about yakuniku where Oishi spazzes about how it should be cooked and everything leading to an interschool contest.

**Is this going to be yaoi/shounen-ai or RyoSaku?  
><strong>Usually, I would keep this as a secret but seeing that I did place Ryoma and Sakuno as the main characters, it is going to be RyoSaku. Sorry guys, I like shounen-ai and all but I'm not really comfortable writing about it- unless it's Hetalia.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yusuki:** Had a good summer vacation yet? Or a great start at school? I don't know if I did =/  
>Well Prince of Tennis belongs to Takeshi Konomi!<p>

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><p>Karupin's claws inched closer to Oishi's face. You see, Eiji is currently using him as a shield from the horrendous feline. Momo has done the the same with a racket-enraged Taka. This is it, those sharp claws only mere millimetres away from his eyes. What had he done to get this? Were good intentions repaid this badly? Well, in retrospect, he did try to shove medicine down the poor child's throat. Why hasn't Ryoma targeted the three others around him? Would Eiji and Momoshiro stop yelling bloody murder at his ears?<p>

The doorbell rang, disturbing Oishi's thoughts prior from getting scratched. Everyone froze as the front door creaked. Ryoma turned around, hugging Karupin. The claws have been pointed away from the senpai-tachi at the moment. A feminine hand appeared, placing a pair of shoes on the floor. Next was a pink dress and familiar russet hair placed into twin long braids. Twin, long braids; let that sink in.

"Sakuno-chan!" Eiji exclaimed in relief.

Ryoma dropped Karupin. The poor, distressed cat ran to a haven the moment its paws touched the floor.

"Saku-chii?" He asked in such a whisper.

"Sorry to intrude, I heard someone yelling and used my spare key," she said approaching the group.

"Saku-chii!" Ryoma exclaimed, tackling her into an embrace the moment he saw her (more clearly).

Sakuno tried to hide her embarrassment, more importantly, her blush in front of their upperclassmen.

"Hello, senpai-tachi and Ryoma-kun," she greeted, returning an embrace to Ryoma.

Deciding that most of them were too busy to react, she focused her attention back to him. She led the sick rookie to the living room sofa. Sitting right next to him, she placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

"Oh dear, Ryoma-kun, you are hot," she commented.

Ryoma gave her a silly grin and said, "Been told." He copied her previous action and said, "You're just warm but don't worry Saku-chii, you're a cutie pie!"

The older regulars (especially Eiji, Momo and Oishi) could not believe their eyes. Ryoma is flirting. Much more, to their coach's granddaughter!

"Since when has this been happening?" Momo asked the girl, pointing to the both of them. "Since when?"

Ryoma looked at them, grabbing a blushing and dazed Sakuno into a possessive hug.

"You mean Saku-chii and me?" He asked in a cherubic tone.

Eji and Oishi managed to nod. Fuji smiled behind his recorder. Inui wrote, while Taka was about to faint.

"Forever," the lad taunted in a loud whisper.

Sakuno just wanted to hide. However, she managed to give them an answer.

"W-well, obaa-chan is a personal friend of the Echizens. S-so, I see Ryoma-kun whenever w-we visit them." She stammered. "O-oh, senpai, wh-what was th-the problem?"

"Echizen refuses to take the medicine," Inui said.

Sakuno looked back to Ryoma, wide-eyed.

"I-is that why your fever's high? The senpai-tachi were practically panicking because of you!" She asked him in a scolding tone.

Ryoma nodded innocently. Sakuno stood up near Ryoma (for he wouldn't let go of her) and bowed to the others.

'I'm sorry, he usually acts like this when auntie, Nanoko-nee-san, or I aren't around when he takes his medicine. Obaa-chan would just be strict to him. Oishi-senpai, do you have the bottle?" She said.

The word had pushed Ryoma's button once again. His sallow skin turned pale.

"I-it's okay Sa-chan! I'm not sick! I'm not even sneezing; just woozy!" Ryoma tried to convince her.

However, Oishi had already returned from the kitchen with that dreadful bottle.

"Is that so?" Saku-chii asked him, he nodded. "Well, I guess you just have snot running down your nose. Since you don't need me, I'll be going now."

Saku-chii freed her hand from his grasp. She handed him a tissue and approached his teammates.

"I'll be taking the senpai-tachi with me, so that you don't bother them." She continued, placing the medicine from Oi-chii-senpai to the table next to him.

Sakuno bid 'good bye' and tried to lead the reluctant regulars away.

As they were about to open the front door, they heard a yell from the living room, "Wait!"

It was Ryoma, snot-free, face all pink and in a sickly state as ever. He was tear-eyed, almost pouting in fact. He held a spoon filled with medicine in one hand and the bottle in the other.

"Sa-chan wouldn't leave if Ryo-chan drinks this; right?" He asked; voice cracking, his teary eyes focused on hers.

Sakuno nodded. Ryoma drank his medicine. The others couldn't believe it. It only took a girl's company for the stubborn brat to take his medicine. Now, who said Ryoma wasn't like his father?

"Alright, I'll stay." Sakuno told the sickly teen.

She approached him, feeling his forehead's temperature again.

"Good, 'cause I'm getting really woozy and my head hurts." He muttered, leaning on her structure for support.

Sakuno led him back to the sofa. Everyone else tentatively followed. They watched her, expertly finding her way around the house. She turned the sofa into a bed, setting Ryoma to rest more comfortably. She tucked him in and placed a cool damp towel on his forehead. She left his side again, earning a small protest from the lad. She came back with a change of clothes.

"Oh, Sa-chan, not in-front of the senpai-tachi," he moaned.

They rushed to them from the hallway. Wide-eyed, Eiji and Momo witnessed Sakuno unbutton Ryoma's ducky pajama shirt. She looked up, flushed. She had forgotten that they were there.

"I'm sorry, i-it's just Ryoma-kun was all sweaty and it isn't good if he fell asleep like that." She explained.

Couldn't bear to feel like an embarrassed intruder to the "couple's time together", Oishi excused himself to leave. He made something up to drag Eiji and Momo with him. Tezuka, remembering that he was to punish Eiji followed, bringing Fuji with him. The prodigy thanked Sakuno for her time, bid Ryoma to get better and told Tezuka that he was such a spoil sport. Getting Ryoma's hint, Taka also left, muttering how he knows when he's unwanted.

Sakuno gave Ryoma the pajamas to change as she escorted Inui-senpai, who was too busy writing to watch where he was going, to the gate. Once the last senpai left, the two were left alone.

It was truly a hectic day for Sakuno, she prayed that their senpai-tachi had found today less stressful…hopefully.

"Saku-chii! I want some ponta! Saku-chii!" She heard a yell, obviously from a spoiled brat lying in the living room.

Her day isn't over yet.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes<br>**

_It's been a long time since I've written a fanfic. Trust me, it was hard to try to link this chapter to the one I've written about a year ago. I hope this has reached your expectations, because I like how this one went (though it was very far from my original idea) I enjoyed writing this and hope you enjoyed reading it ;)._

_Well... I don't know what else to say..._

**Huh? RyoSaku? I was hoping there weren't any...=(  
><strong>Sorry if there's too much RyoSaku for you're liking . I've decided to stick with the pair. I warn you that there would be more on the third chapter!_  
><em>

**Will you be active now?  
><strong>Well, I've already written my sixth chapter for 'Our Little Secret', I'm just waiting for my beta. I've also redrafted 'A Fated Encounter' and I think you'll like it. I'll try to update every week but the story depends on my randomized can raffle... thing.

Feel free to ask anymore question! Hope to "see" you soon at the next chapter!


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